Shine like the Sun
by Beware of the Nargles
Summary: This is about Luna's daughter Solleia, who is starting at Hogwarts.You find out about Luna herself too. Unexpected friends, hilarious moments, unusual powers, fascinating discoveries and a very strange play...and loads more!
1. Sunflowers

The sun had just risen over a large hill. Atop the hill there stood a rather unusual looking house. It was shaped something like a … a rabbit, standing on its hind legs, alert and listening. Its ears were two wobbly towers, one leaning dangerously to the side, ready to topple over at any moment.

Outside, a huge garden stretched all around the house and beyond, all the way past an orchard full of gnarled old apple trees and undoubtedly many unusual creatures. It stretched past a trickling stream, to a field of dazzlingly yellow sunflowers.

A girl with long blonde hair and large, intelligent brown eyes walked among the flowers. She stopped to admire a small sunflower that grew apart from all the rest. Solleia was remarkably like the sunflower. She was different to every other 11 year old girl, always bright and cheerful, no matter how miserable the day. She was up as soon as the sun came up each day.

A soft, dreamy voice called across the meadow.

"Sollie, you've still got to pack your suitcase." It was her mother. Luna and her husband, Rolf Scamander, were waiting at the edge of the field.

"I was just saying goodbye to my sunflowers," Solleia said wistfully. "You will look after them for me, won't you?"

Rolf smiled and took her hand. "Of course, my little sunflower. You pack and we'll be off."

"Are you alright, Sollie darling?"

Solleia looked up from her suitcase she had just packed. "Yes, mummy, I'm very excited," she answered seriously.

Luna stroked her daughter's long blonde hair that was so like her own. "It'll be a lot of fun, won't it? I remember starting at Hogwarts…"

_How she remembered those years. It seemed like only yesterday her father had shown her platform 9 ¾ for the first time. Luna had blown her father one last kiss, and then dragged her trunk along the train, past compartment after compartment of friends talking, laughing. No one had wanted to sit with the girl with radish earrings and a necklace made of corks. Finally, Luna had found the very last compartment deserted. She spent the train ride finding out 53 facts about Nargles in her very favourite magazine, the Quibbler. _

_Once, she had looked up to find a red-headed girl peering frantically into each compartment. She was obviously looking for something. Luna was about to offer to help find the important thing, but the girl noticed her staring and hurried away._

A photo frame crashed to the floor and shattered, glass flying everywhere. Luna jumped and opened her eyes. She pulled out her wand from behind her ear, and repaired the frame with a flick. Solleia reached out and picked it up. She looked at the picture. It was of her mother on a thestral. Solleia couldn't see the thestral, just Luna sitting in midair, smiling and waving.

"Mum, tell me about the thestrals again, please."

Luna looked over at her daughter dreamily. "Okay, then. I still remember my first encounter with a thestral. After the train ride, I got a little lost. I couldn't see Hagrid or the other first-years anywhere. But then I saw a huge creature, that looked a little like a horse, pulling a carriage of students.

"You only get to ride in the carriages when you're in second year, right?" Solleia asked interestedly.

"Yes, that's right. But I saw a thestral – it had leathery black winds and it looked a bit like a horse. I thought at first they looked majestic and wild, but when I found then later in the forest, they seemed to be calm and gentle. Anyway, I was looking at it for a while and then some older students in the carriage looked at me as if they were confused and started to call me 'Loony' and said I was insane. But I don't take any notice of people like that. They're just a little narrow-minded.

'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure' daddy used to say."

"But what happened then, with the thestral?" Solleia asked.

"Oh, Ginny Weasley's brother came along and told me to move or we'd be late for the feast. But I only felt like pudding.

"Anyway, we'd better get going. Don't forget to pack your Wrackspurt catcher!"

"Do they have lots of pudding at the feast?"


	2. The Sun & the Scorpion

Platform 93/4 was packed full of people, trunks and screeching owls. Luna held Solleia's hand tightly as they edged their way to the train door.   
"I'll miss you, mummy," Solleia whispered. "Write to me soon, please?"  
Luna smiled and said gently "Of course, and I'll send every issue of the Quibbler!"  
Sollie beamed at her mother, then heard voices behind her.  
"Hi Sollie, are you excited?"  
It was James, Albus, and Lily, and right behind them, Rose and Hugo.  
"Hi everyone! It's great to be going at last!"  
Lily and Hugo were a year above her, and so they had all been at Hogwarts before.  
They were very close friends, because Luna had stayed friends with Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville the Herbology teacher.  
Just then, the huge red train puffed a lot of steam over all the people on the platform.   
Solleia gave her parents a last hug, and followed the others to the train door.  
She turned to look out of the window and waved as the train chugged away from King's Cross station and into miles of endless countryside. She gazed at the scenery for such a long time, and only came back down to earth when there was a cough from behind her. Solleia turned to find that Lily, Rose, Hugo and the others had long since disappeared and the only one there was a boy who looked around the same age as Albus.  
He had a pale face with a pointed chin, and blond hair.  
"What on earth is so interesting out the window?" he sneered...

"Oh hello!" Solleia said dreamily. "Don't you find there are so many beautiful things to look at? I could stare at them forever..."  
The boy snorted. "You're just a weirdo...hey I know who you are...you must be that crazy Lovegood girl's daughter. You are, aren't you?"  
Solleia nodded. "But my mum is not crazy. Anyway, you're Draco Malfoy's son, Scorpius." She said it as a statement, not a question.  
He nodded. "So what?"  
"Scorpius is a funny name, don't you think?" Solleia replied thoughtfully.  
"Yeah, well, Solleia's even odder, where's that from? I bet your mother made it up, didn't she?" He sneered.  
"Yes, she named me after the sun...you must be named after the scorpion..." She trailed off.  
They stood looking at each other for a minute. Solleia smiled at him. Scorpius went rather red and turned away abruptly.  
"Well, I better find somewhere to sit," Solleia murmured. "I'll see you later, I expect..."  
And with that, she pulled her trunk down the train and out of sight.


	3. Teasing & Thestrals

Every compartment Solleia passed was full. Finally she found James Potter and Rose Weasley with loads of friends piled in the compartment.  
"Hello Rose, James," Solleia said cheerfully. "Can I sit with you?"  
James' friend raised his eyebrows and a couple of people sniggered.  
Rose looked disgustedly at them and nodded at Solleia. "Of course, come in Sollie."  
Solleia really liked Rose Weasley. She was very kind, even if she was a bit older.  
The girl Sollie sat down next to was very tall and pretty. She had shiny dark hair which fell in curls to her shoulders. "Hi, can I see your earrings? They look...unusual. I'm Katie, by the way."  
Solleia fingered her earrings. "Oh, these aren't just earrings, they're Dirigible Plums. They enhance ability to exceot the extraordinary. My grandfather grows them."  
Another girl laughed. "They look like radishes to me," muttered the boy next to her. "And she's wearing a necklace made out of corks!"  
"That was my mother's. It's a charm to keep away the Nargles," Solleia explained, giving no sign that she had heard they were making fun of her.  
"Leave her alone!" Said Katie, who seemed to be embarassed for starting the conversation. "Come with me, Solleia."

She marched out into the corridor, pulling Sollie with her.  
"What's the matter?" Solleia asked confusedly...

"Don't you see they're making fun of you?" Katie said fiercely. "Stand up to them!"  
"Oh, I don't mind." Solleia answered calmly. "But if you want, I'll find somewhere else to sit. See you later..."  
She turned and dragged her trunk along the train, without another word.  
Katie opened and closed her mouth speechlessly. She looked rather like a goldfish. After a minute or two, she murmured to herself, "I was only trying to help..."

The train was slowing down. Solleia stood up in the compartment she sat in alone. It was already very dark outside, but she caught a glimpse of Hogsmeade station.  
"Firs' years over here! Firs' years, c'mon!" Boomed Rubeus Hagrid, rather older than he had been.  
Solleia started walking towards him, then something distracted her. It was a long line of horseless carriages...  
"Thestrals!" Solleia cried excitedly. A couple of people giggled.  
Sollie ran over to the closest carraige. Something bumped right into her.  
Solleia stretched out her hands and walked around the front of the carriage, trying to find the thestral. She touched something sleek and smooth...the Thestral!!!  
Without even thinking, Solleia jumped on the invisible horse-like creature.  
Startled, it began to move. People were now looking nervously at her, staring and rubbing their eyes.

Solleia was having the time of her life, gently stroking the thestral's neck.

Just then Hogwarts came into view. Solleia gasped. It was beautiful!!!!

Now everyone was getting out of the carriages. Sollie couldn't see any other first years, or Hagrid.  
Oh well, Solleia sighed. I'll just have to find my way...  
Inside the castle, she couldn't see anyone. Not one student, or teacher, or even ghost.  
Aha! There was a lot of noise coming from behind a door.  
She pushed it open, and saw 4 long tables of students, and a teacher whisking away a ragged hat and stool.  
She kept on walking, right to the front. She could sense everyone's eyes on her.  
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Solleia Scamander." Said a voice...


	4. Harold

A/N: Thanks for reviews! Finally, more of the story...

Solleia looked up at the staff table.

"Hello Professor Clengiplume!"she said brightly.

"Hello, Solleia, Yes, I am Professor Clengiplume. But how, I wonder, did you know my name? You are a first year?! Anyway, I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts school. I hope you have a lovely time here," Said the man with magenta coloured long hair and bright green boots that must have been made of dragon skin. He was wearing robes of deepest red, which clashed horribly with his hair.

He was obviously a little eccentric, but all the Heads of Hogwarts had been. He was maybe 30 years old, younger than most of the staff, but he also seemed as or more wise than any of them.

"Thank you! Well, your name was on the letter I got telling me all about Hogwarts. But how do you know my name?" Solleia asked interestedly. "And by the way, I like your hair."

"Well, now, there was a Solleia Scamander missing form the line of first years to be sorted. Great minds think alike!" Clengiplume smiled.

"Professor McGonagall, please bring the sorting hat back. Oh, and thank you, Miss Scamander, I also like the colour."

McGonagall came back to the centre of the Great Hall, a little wearily.

Solleia sat down on the stool and the hat was placed on her head.

"Ah, you must be that delightful Luna Lovegood's daughter! No one else has a mind like that!" Said a little voice in her head.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr Hat," Solleia thought.  
"Do you have a name?"

"Hmmmmm..." The hat was thinking hard. "No, I don't believe I do. Would you name me?"

Solleia smiled. "Of course..." she paused for a moment. "well, I think you look like a Harold. What do you think?"  
"Lovely...I'm now Harold the Hat. Anyway, you are in..."


	5. J&J Jones

**A/N: Finally I've written another chapter of this, I've been busy with my Luna/Dean one...thanks a lot for any reviews, they are immensely appreciated!!! Hope you like it...**

"GRYFFINDOR!" Harold screamed to the hall. Half-hearted cheers and applause erupted for a couple of seconds, then died away again. Now only Professor Clengiplume was clapping.

Solleia walked back along to the Gryffindor table, where she only found a place to sit at the very end, next to a first-year boy and girl that just had to be twins. They both had sandy-coloured hair and bright green eyes. They were staring straight up at the Headmaster with an identical nervous look on their faces, as if they were about to be scared out of their skins.

"Hi," She whispered to them. They both turned around and jumped at the same time.

"I'm Solleia. And you are?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued kindly, "What's the matter? Are you muggle born by any chance?"

The girl squeaked feebly and the boy said, "Umm…I'm Jack and this is Julie. Muggle born, um ... Our parents weren't a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

"Well, nice to meet you, Jack and Julie. My parents were a witch and wizard. They're naturalists-"

Solleia was cut short by the Headmaster stepping forward and booming, "Well, sorry for the long delay, I'm sure you're all ravenous, so tuck in!"

And miraculously, plates and dishes of delicious-looking food appeared on the table in front of them.

"Mmmmm…I love Yorkshire pudding!" Solleia cried, reaching for the plate next to her.

"Julie, could you pass the gravy please?" Julie nodded.

There was a minute's silence as everyone began to shovel food down greedily.

The quiet was interrupted by Jack, as he asked, "Do you know anything about Harry Potter and… that dark wizard, I don't know his name?"

Solleia said immediately, "You-Know-Who…"

"We don't know his name though," Julie mumbled.

"Well, I just told you, You-Know-Who!" Sollie said confusedly. "Oh, wait! Everyone calls him You-Know-Who because in those days people were too frightened to say Voldemort. That's his name." She laughed.

"Oh, okay." Jack and Julie said.

"But, can you tell us anything about Harry Potter and him?" Jack repeated.

Solleia hesitated. "I do know about it, because my mother was – is – friends with Harry Potter. Okay then…" And so she ended up telling Jack and Julie Jones Harry's story right the way through dinner and pudding.

"Wow," They said in awe as Solleia finished.

"Oh, and their kids are right down there!" Solleia added. "James, Albus, Lily…over here!"

Jack and Julie turned to see a red-headed boy and girl, and a skinny boy with messy black hair waving at Sollie.

"Are we all finished?" Prof. Clengiplume called clearly. There was an affirmative mumble. "Well then, there are just a few notices before you go to bed.

"First of all, the new students need to know that the Forest is strictly forbidden to all.

Also, Mr Filch, the caretaker, has a rather long list of about 560 forbidden objects, which you can see hanging in his office.

And this year…"


	6. A crazy Head & a crazy Idea

**A/N: Umm…..well, you know me; I adore reviews so please be kind and leave a comment! Here's the next chappie, sorry if it's not really long but I'm rather busy at the mo…**

And this year…"

Professor Clengiplume's eyes were ablaze with excitement, "We, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, will do what no other Wizarding school has done before, and do the same as our dear Muggle friends, and put on a performance of our utmost best efforts…"

He seemed to have finished this announcement and began to scratch his neck animatedly.

A few students started to whisper, "What _is _he talking about?" "What do Muggles do?" and someone even said out loud, "Has he gone nutty?"

The other members of staff were confused as well. Coughing uncertainly, Professor McGonagall, who was old and weary and yet still teaching Transfiguration and still Head of Gryffindor, stood up and spluttered, "Uh hum, excuse me, Wilfred, _what_ exactly are you telling us? Could you _possibly_ give us any details? Oh, Wilfred, did you just think of this _now_?"

"Details, details," boomed Wilfred Clengiplume, waving his arms about wildly. (Solleia thought, Well, Wilfred does not suit the Headmaster at all…or maybe it does – unusual and a bit peculiar.)

His magenta hair had puffed up and robes had gotten tangled up around him. "I'll think of details later. Of course I didn't think of this now, I thought of it in the middle of my splendid shepherds' pie. It is so exciting! A play! That is what we will do! Now then, off to bed, everyone…"

And with that, everyone hopped and skipped to their dormitories, chatting noisily.

Solleia followed the rest of the Gryffindors up staircases of grand stairs, down corridors and hallways lined with pictures, until they reached a large portrait of a vast lady in pink. "Password?" She asked, staring down at them all.

"Now everyone, yes, you little ones," a bossy prefect girl yelled, "Always remember to remember the password to the common room, or you'll get locked out, and I'm sure Peeves will have fun tormenting you."

There were nervous glances behind them from the tiny first-years. They all seemed so small and scared, Solleia thought.

"So what's the bloody password?" A rowdy 4th year boy asked impatiently. Solleia recognised him from James Potter's compartment on the train.

"It's ralliopine," Solleia said before she could stop herself. "Ralliopine is a special tree that has been preserved for years to extract the magical substances within it."

Everyone, including Rose (who was as clever as Hermione and top of the year) looked shocked for a moment. Solleia didn't know how she knew. She just _did_.

"Yeah, got the prefects to tell ya, did ya? Clever clogs!" They jeered, pushing past to the common room.

But Solleia knew a prefect hadn't told her…


	7. A tad of colour

**A/N: ****Thanks to Rose (rosai-gryffindor) for reviewing. I wish someone else would too…If you do you ROCK!!!!!!!!!**

The Gryffindor Common Room was as cosy as ever, with its comfortable red armchairs and the warmth of a merry crackling fire filling the air. Most of the students were standing or sitting around in groups, catching up after the summer holidays.

Not everyone was there though.

Solleia wandered up the staircase to the dormitories, listening to the loud voices downstairs getting softer and softer until she couldn't hear a thing except a strong breeze whooshing through the open window. She turned a corner and opened a door, revealing five four-poster beds and a shirtless 5th year boy with a mop of black hair.

He only had time to gawp at Sollie before she hurried out of the room quickly with a quick "Hi!"

After that, Solleia always went up the right staircase. When she finally reached her very own bed, she saw just what she had expected – a large bed with red hangings, boring white walls and a window looking out over the forbidden forest.

It looks a bit plain, Sollie thought, staring around. Maybe I'll add a tad of colour. So she started about redecorating. As she could do nothing more with her 11 inch willow wand containing dragon heartstring than wave it about hopelessly, she decided to do it by hand.

"It's a good thing Mum told me to come prepared," Solleia said cheerfully to herself, whilst unpacking 7 tins of brightly coloured paint, rolls and rolls of rolled-up posters, some interesting rugs and bed-covers and of course 5 homemade Wrackspurt catchers to hang by everyone's beds.

Sollie scribbled WET WALLS on a scrap piece of paper and hung it on the front of the thick wooden door to the dormitory. She then painted the room light blue, green, and yellow, dark blue, pink, red and purple.

As she was painting, she thought about what her mother had told her.

"_I don't mind which House you're in. You'll always be my little sunflower."_

But why was Solleia in Gryffindor? Harold had said she had a mind like her mother's, but Luna had been in Ravenclaw.

A small voice in her head said, "Well maybe you _do _have a great mind like your mother. Maybe you are kind and hard-working like your father. But you are courageous and adventurous and maybe those are stronger than your other qualities. Maybe they're what stand out.

"Who knows? You could have been in Slytherin..." Solleia gasped angrily at the voice, but it continued, "Well, you are ambitious and determined, look at you now, painting a whole dormitory by yourself! But as I was saying, your bravery overtakes everything else."

But then, as Solleia was about to reply, the door burst open. Julie Jones and 3 other first-year girls were staring at her, looking shocked at her paint-stained hands, hair and robes.

A/N: P.S. Sorry about the Rolf mention (that he is kind and hard-working) it just fit in there...I don't like Rolf either!


	8. Names aren't important

**Here's more! Hope you like it and I will wish for at least 10 reviews! No, that's a bit much; I probably won't even get 5…******

**Sorry it's short!**

Two of the girls had been giggling all the way up the stone staircase, but they stopped, bewildered, when they reached Solleia.

"Um…hi," said one of the girls, the tallest of the three, a fiery-looking redhead. "I'm Cassie. Uh, nice to meet you…you are?"

Solleia immediately liked this girl. She had a warm, fun, strong presence about her. "Hello! I'm Solleia Xenophilia Lovegood Scamander. I like your name, Cassie."

"She's actually Cassandra Alyssa Moffat, if you really want to know. Her mother is famous, have you heard of her? Lady Alyssa Princeton, the wife of a rich German prince who did _loads_ of stuff for _Werewolf Help_." Said a horrible mocking voice. It came from a very thin, dainty-looking girl with dark golden locks framing her pale face. Solleia looked into her expressionless grey eyes, then the girl said, "Oh, and I'm Rachel Garnet. My mother and father both work at the ministry. They're right at the top of their departments. What about your parents?" She smirked confidently at Solleia as though it was impossible have a better job than her own parents.

"Hello, Rachel. My parents are both naturalists. They search all over for exquisite magical creatures." Sollie said passionately. "I love animals, but I also have always loved plants too. I have a field of sunflowers, and an orchard, and Dirigible Plum bushes, and-"

She was interrupted by an obnoxious sort of yawn that came from the other girl standing right next to Rachel. She flicked her plaited black hair behind her and quickly launched into a fast, bored-sounding introductory speech. "I'm Ethel Chiwell, I'm pure blood, I don't like plants AT ALL and I absolutely do NOT like these walls you have painted. But, as I'm knackered and can't be bothered to change them or get mad at you, I will sleep in that bed, over there, by the purple wall. Goodnight." And without a single friendly word, she ended their first conversation abruptly and flounced off to bed, leaving Solleia, Julie and Cassandra looking rather dumbstruck. Rachel, on the other hand, flashed them a couldn't-care-less look and got into the bed next to Ethel by the pink wall.


	9. The night and the morning

The sun had just risen over a large hill

Hi! Sorry I haven't updated in ages, but …

It was as though an enormously deep, dark chasm had made a gaping hole across the first year Gryffindor girls' dormitory, splitting into two parts. The "L's" as they were soon to be nicknamed by the others, Rachel and Ethel, immediately became best friends without giving anyone – I do mean_ anyone_ at all – the slightest chance.

As for our little witch, Solleia, she hardly slept that first daunting night. Sometimes she found it difficult to sleep, finding herself uncommonly uncomfortable and ill at ease lying all night in her bed. The night was strange, dark, cold and silent. She watched the forest in the grounds sway with the noiseless breeze and the back of her neck prickled with uncertainty and uneasiness.

Cassie was sleeping soundly in the bed next to Sollie. Julie snored softly on her other side. But even with these calm, comforting beings beside her, Solleia just couldn't wait for the morning to arrive. And at last it did; the golden rays of sun appearing over the lake and being reflected in its tranquil water. The sky was still tinged with soft, pleasant hues of pink, orange and the little dash of blue as Sollie rose and dressed.

Solleia tiptoed down the stairs, through the deserted common room and out of the portrait hole. She decided to go and have an early breakfast.

In the Great Hall, there were only a few people. Sliding on to a chair at the Gryffindor table, Sollie saw plates and plates of all breakfasty things and some not so breakfasty things like bacon, eggs, cereal, toast, jam, lollipops, lemon tarts and pumpkin pasties. Solleia helped herself to a pile of pancakes drizzled in sweet maple syrup.

After a hearty meal, Solleia looked up once more. Sitting all alone gloomily at the Hufflepuff table was the same blond-haired, pale-faced boy she had met on the Hogwarts Express. Scorpius.

Solleia drifted over to him and tapped his shoulder. He started, and then said grumpily, "Oh, it's you, Sunny girl. Well, I see you're in Gryffindor. Humph." He went back to munching his toast.

"Hello, Scorpius. Yes, I'm Gryffindor. I see you're a Hufflepuff. The sorting hat seems pretty amazing to me, to be able to look right into peoples' hearts and souls. Otherwise, who knows what houses we'd be in? Anyway, I said I'd see you around. But what I wanted was the time."

Scorpius answered, "What? Oh right, the time. It's just six o'clock now. I couldn't sleep last night."

"No, me neither." And Sollie wandered back upstairs.

Solleia began to stroll down a derelict corridor deeply absorbed in a sky of thought. The corridor in which she found herself was dimly lit by a few blazing torches held in brackets at intervals, and other than that, there was nothing to be seen. No large doors opening off to classrooms begging to be used, no windows gazing out at the grounds bathed in morning sunlight, no people sitting forlornly in their unexciting framed scenes; nothing whatsoever.

Just a little girl with golden blonde hair that seemed to almost shine, and deep, warm, inviting, wide brown eyes, a slight figure and surprisingly, a massive owl tethered to her upper right arm. She seemed completely unconcerned by this, although the creature appeared to be as vast as half of Sollie. Upset by some muffled noise or something like, the owl suddenly alighted and shot up towards the ceiling, hooting noisily, revealing a strong cord that its owner obviously used to keep hold of it.

"Hush, Siskin, shush," Solleia cooed calmly, stretching her fingers towards the owl, and gently stroking its pale, minty green body. "It's all right, be quiet now."

Siskin the owl, hesitantly ruffling his so unusually coloured feathers, stopped screeching and nibbled Sollie's shoulder affectionately.

Solleia had gotten this pet a year ago, on the 9th of February, as an 11th birthday present from her mother and father. Rolf and Luna had found Siskin on an exploration trip to the forests of Veneficus-Universuse in some far-off place. She had fallen in love with it and doted on him as much as she cared for her precious field of sunflowers.

Just then, a clang echoed in the corridor. This time not only Siskin started. Sollie turned around to see Jack Jones, the muggle-born boy with his sandy hair, and without his twin sister Julie, standing by the hidden entrance to the corridor.


	10. An Old Friend

**A/N: Sorry there hasn't been an update!**

"Um, hi, Solleia," Jack mumbled, his usual timid self. Professor Mc-McGona…"

"McGonagall," Solleia interrupted helpfully.

"Yeah, uh, she told me to find you and give you this." He held out a piece of parchment with a list of times and subjects.

"My timetable," Sollie said eagerly. Before she had a chance to look over it, Jack said, "I think we're in all the same classes, 'cause, you know, we're both in Gryffindor. So it's Herbology in ten minutes. We'd better get going now."

Jack trotted alongside a confident Sollie, who was absolutely convinced she knew exactly where she was going. Unfortunately, after getting held up in the Entrance Hall, they still arrived a little late, just after Ethel Chiwell and Rachel Garnet.

Sollie caught a snippet of their conversation in staged whispers, and saw the smug glance Rachel cast at her and Jack.

"Yeah, I know, look!" Ethel was saying, staring pointedly at them.

"Oh! He's so shy…and she's so rude – not a good couple at all," Rachel said.

"But he definitely fancies her…obviously she wouldn't dream of liking him."

"Actually, I think she would. She probably doesn't have good taste in wizards anyway."

Solleia snorted and Jack blushed. Pushing past them, she dragged Jack into the greenhouse where they were due to have their lesson with the first-year Ravenclaws.

Going to stand next to Julie and Cassie, she looked excitedly at the rows of plant pots and was trying to guess what they would do in her first lesson, when in wandered Neville Longbottom, the Herbology teacher.

He introduced himself to the class quietly, and began explaining what they would cover in Herbology throughout their years at Hogwarts. Most of this was wasted on the first-years whose eyes were wandering to the other house, trying to see who they recognised. Cassie, for one, was slouching nonchalantly, looking critically at a brown-haired guy in Ravenclaw, who was staring back at her in awe.

However, Solleia was fascinated by what Professor Longbottom said and moved closer to hear him better.

Once Neville had set the class to work re-potting quite ordinary-looking tulips, Solleia went up to him and said cheerfully, "Hello Nev- Professor!"

Up close, Solleia could take in his features well; his floppy, dark brown hair, the straight shape of his nose, his now filled-out, less round face. He was kind of sweet, Solleia thought. She knew her mother had been good friends with him, and tried to recall everything Luna had told her in all those stories of Luna's adventures.

'_Neville was so kind to me…he never was at all mean, even when he didn't know me…but sometimes I thought he seemed a bit uncomfortable around me, wary…or embarrassed…he became so courageous, at the end. Of course he always was, but no one realised then, what a true Gryffindor he was. Always obsessed with his Herbology, he was. I remember a plant he had once, Mimbulus Mimbletoni__a. Odd thing, the Mimbletonia…_

_We stayed good friends, and were even closer at Hogwarts in my sixth year, when Harry was off chasing Voldemort…Neville and Ginny and me. __That was hard, but we stuck together…Neville was so grown up then, so strong. I thought I was going to crack, but he became a leader. _

_Neville was my best man at my wedding, you know. Although, he never seemed to warm to Rolf…Shortly after, he married Hannah Something…a Hufflepuff. I've tried to keep in touch…his was a friendship I'll never want to let go of.__'_

Solleia looked up at Neville once more, a question furrowing her brow, her eyes narrowing. "Why didn't you marry my mother?" She wanted to ask…or maybe she did, very, very quietly. He had been one of Luna's best friends…she'd never said a bad word about him in her life…

Professor Neville Longbottom's words brought her back to there and then immediately.

"Solleia Lovegood Scamander…you're just like your mother."


End file.
